Ably backed by members of Heiruspecs (among other local notables), violinist Jessy Greene delivers a set of trip-hop songs that, as the album’s title suggests, are alternately spooky and sexy. Greene sounds particularly invigorated by the collaborations here, which bodes well for her future endeavors.

Key tracks: “Blown Sky High,” “Time Bomb”

9. The Brass Kings, “The Brass Kings” (Dream Horse)

With mad fingerpicking skills that send bluegrass nuts into a full-out swoon and a supple, nimble voice that bobs up and down amid the sonic stew, Steve Kaul has crafted a top-notch singer/songwriter album that’s got a fire in its belly.

Key tracks: “Heavy Hands,” “Gone Astray”

8. Thunder in the Valley, “A Long, Long Walk” (Heart of a Champion)

Rowdy piano rock from this big-thinking, big-rostered group of guys who make frozen-in-amber songs in a similar manner (if not an explicitly similar sound) as the Decemberists. This sophomore album makes a big move, too, in attempting to capture the band’s blazing live performances on disc.

Key tracks: “So the Story Goes,” “Best Laid Plans”

7. Belles of Skin City, “You Do the Company Proud” (Totally Gross National Product)

These rough-and-tumble rockers pull off the amazing feat of recalling that fertile post-punk era (Gang of Four, Mission of Burma) without really sounding like anyone else before them. And how can you not love a band with a song named “Joni Loves Trotsky”?

Key tracks: “Robots Are People Too,” “Bobby Socks Melt My Butter”

6. Missing Numbers, “No Anecdote” (Susstones)

Expanding from the neo-blues of his 2004 debut, Jimmy Peterson earns his vocalist-of-the-year nod (picked up at the 2005 Minnesota Music Awards) with this luxuriant guitar-rock disc that’s sometimes reminiscent of Neil Young’s less indulgent work.

Key tracks: “Cheaper by the Ton,” “My Alibi”

5. One for the Team, “Good Boys Don’t Make Noise” (Afternoon)

In addition to running what’s become the Cities’ hottest label, Afternoon Records, playing guitar in Aneuretical and trying to graduate from St. Olaf College, 21-year-old Ian Anderson leads this old-school indie-rock group that comes across like a long-lost nugget from Matador Records circa 1992 (and that’s a good thing).

Key tracks: “I Promised I’d Grow Up,” “Take Cover”

4. The TV Sound, “The TV Sound” (12 Pieces)

Even with a band name gleaned from an old Duran Duran record and a fashion designer as its lead singer, the TV Sound doesn’t parody, nor pander to, the sound of ’80s new wave. Instead, they celebrate the genre with obvious and infectious enthusiasm.

Key tracks: “Be That Kind,” “Morningstar”

3. The Mad Ripple, “Sink and/or Swim” (Eclectone)

With its boozy, back-porch vibe and naked confessional/nostalgic lyrics, this loveable effort from former Pioneer Press music critic and current City Pages columnist Jim Walsh is everything you’d expect from a man who has never been shy about wearing his heart on his sleeve.

This six-song debut is so rich and ready-for-the-spotlight, it’s going to be a challenge for this five-piece to follow it up. They often get compared to Oasis, which makes sense only in that they share a wild ambition and fearlessness when it comes to crafting old-fashioned British-influenced guitar rock.

Key tracks: “New Romans,” “She Will Love Again (Hey Kid)”

1. P.O.S., “Audition” (Rhymesayers)

Stefon Alexander, a.k.a. P.O.S., makes hip-hop for people who think they don’t like hip-hop, not by dumbing it down, rather by smartening it up. Like his labelmate/mentor Slug (of Atmosphere), he’s got a gift for witty wordplay and is mesmerizing on stage.

As you comment, please be respectful of other commenters and other viewpoints. Our goal with article comments is to provide a space for civil, informative and constructive conversations. We reserve the right to remove any comment we deem to be defamatory, rude, insulting to others, hateful, off-topic or reckless to the community. See our full terms of use here.

More in Things to Do

There are many ways to visit and experience the Grand Canyon, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. However let’s not dismiss how enlightening and exciting the road to the destination can be. I try and make my travels as much about the journey as I do about the destination. On this trip, the random, unplanned pit stops...

Minnehaha Mile — a stretch of shops along Minnehaha Avenue and some offshoot streets nearby — is an emerging shopping district in Minneapolis’ Longfellow neighborhood like no other. The area is home to quirky, locally owned shops with plenty of heart and soul. The area is especially a destination for shopping antique, vintage, repurposed and upcycled pieces as well as specialty stores....

The popular game show “Jeopardy!” featured St. Paul’s Como Zoo as a category in Friday’s show. “At the Como Park Zoo” was a category during the show’s initial segment, in which contestant Rob Worman of Edina returned to defend his title (successfully). Worman had already won on the syndicated game show twice. Zoo spokesman Reinartz said staffers from the game...

Jessica Chung was in the fourth grade when her mother taught her the art of calligraphy. The elegance of the script appealed to her then just as it does now. “I’ve always had a natural tendency toward art and creative things,” says Chung. It was only after finishing her schooling and getting settled in her career, however, that Chung had...

“The Pirates of Penzance” is a lark and a goof; a piffle of a social satire that aims to entertain. An imaginative and whimsical production at Park Square Theatre gives that silliness a twist that refreshes the work while honoring its roots. The production doesn’t jump immediately into the story of hapless buccaneers and the almost-thwarted love between a dim,...

Amy Rummenie found some poetry books in the Little Free Library in her neighborhood and read one small collection of poems “cover to cover while sitting on the porch and laughing out loud to myself.” The Twin Cities director and one of the founders of Walking Shadow Theatre Company did something she’d never done before. She sent the author, Mark...